Renovator.



No. 828,916. PATENTED AUG. 21, 1906.

s. E. ALLISON. RENOVATOR.

APPLICATION TILED MAY 2, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

No. 828,916. PATENTED AUG. 21, 1906. s. E. ALLISON.

RENOVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2- L902,

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

sMrrH E. ALLISON, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIs, I

aswovaroa.

Specifidation of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 21, 1906.

Application filed May 2. 1902. Berial No. 105,688.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, SMITH E. ALLISON, of Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Renovators, of

5 which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in renovators, and refers more specifically to renovating apparatus of that type which employs a blast of air for extracting the dust from carpets, cushions, and the like.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus of the character ref erred to in which the combined effect of ple- 1mm and vacuum pressure is utilized in securing an effective and more cleanly operation to provide an improved construction of the character abovereferred to, the blasta'pplying device of which is adapted to be conveniently passed over and applied to the articles to be renovated by hand; to provide an improved construction which operates to effectively prevent the escape of dust which has been loosened by the renovating operation to provide in an apparatus of this char- 2 5 acter an improved auxiliary dust-collecting apparatus which serves to effectually precipitate the dust from the blast of air and prevent its escape into the atmosphere; to provide, in connection with an apparatus employing both plenum and exhaust pressure, a visible indicator which indicates to the eye of the operator the relative proportions of plenum and vacuum pressure and to provide, in conjunction therewith, means for regulating these pressures relatively to each other; to provide in an apparatus of the character ,referred to a completely-closed circuit for the passage of the air through the apparatus whereby the escape of dust is prevented, and, in general, to provide a simple and improved construction of the character referred to.

To the above ends the invention .consists in the matters hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and the invention [will be more readily understood from the following de scription by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, with certain parts broken away, of the sweeper proper. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the 0 on base side of the sweeper. Fig. 3 is a si e elevation with a part of one side broken away to expose the arrangement of the interior of the dust-collecting device forming an auxiliary feature of the apparatus, and Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the eneral relations of the several features of t e entire apparatus to each other. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a hand-valve.

Referrin to said drawings, 1 designates as a whole ac amber which may be of any suitable form and construction and is made substantially open at its lower side, as best indicated in Fig. 2, the said lower or base side being made flat'or having its margins arranged to terminate in the same plane, so as to enable it to fit closely to the floor or, carpet or other article over which it is passed. Desirably, in order to facilitate its easy move ment over the floor or carpet, it is provided with antifriction-rollers 2 at its lower side, which conveniently are situated in inturned extensions or lips 3, which are arranged at the front and rear sides of the base end of the cadsing and to a limited extent close said base s1 e.

A suitable handle 4 is provided whereby the sweeper may be manipulated, said handle being in the present instance forked or divided at its lower end portion and the two arms thereof arranged to embrace opposite sides in the sweeper-box and pivoted to the.

latter, as indicated at 5. The handle is also made the means of supporting and in part containing pipe connections through which blast is directed through the sweeper-chamber, as will now be described.

Refemng to Figs. 1 and 2, 6 designates a fan-shaped nozzle arranged in the lower part of the sweeper-chamber and provided with a downturned slot-like discharge-opening 7, which extends between and is secured to the side members of the chamber and terminates flush with the lower edges of the latter. With the contracted rear end of said fan shaped nozzle is suitably connected a pipe-section 8, which extends through an aperture 9 in the rear wall of the sweeper-chamber and with the protruding end of said pipe-section is in turn connected a hose or pipe .10, which in r mounted in the passage 12 as shown clearly in Fi s. 1 and: With the end of the valve mem er 11 opposite that .connected with the handle and the ipe I0 is connected a supplypipe 13, which eads to and is connected with the equalizing-chamber 14 of the air-pump mechanism shown in Fig. 4. The upper side of the sweeper chamber or box is desirably of upwardly-tapering construction, terminating in a neck-like extension 15, with which is connectedan exhaust mechanism, comprising a soft rubber or analogous bulb 16 and an eduction-pipe leading fromthe u per side of the bulb to and extendin throug the hollow portionof the handle of t e sweeper, similarly to the arrangement of pipe 10,. the end of tlie lpipe 17 being connected at the upper end o t 18, which leadsto and is connected with a precipitating-chamber,( designated as a whole 19 and shown in detail in Fig. 3.) The bulb 16 is preferably detachably connected with the top of the sweeper-box in any suitable manneras for example, by being rovided with a terminal nipple 20, which ts upon the corresponding neck of the swee erchamber. The bulb 16 is constructe of elastic rubber, which tends to retain its normal form and requires a definite amount of internal pressure to expand it or an exhaustpressure-to. collapse it,so that it alternately 'cient accuracy expands and contracts as the pressure of the air flowin therethrough increases or dehe bulb, therefore, serves the function of a visible signal to the operator by which he is enabled to determine with suifithe relation ofthe vacuum to the lenum pressure.

T epreferred construction of the precipitating or dust-collectin chamber illustrated hereinis 'as'follows: he chamber 19 is of rectangular form and suitabl constructed to form a sealed inclosure, the ower part being filled Water when in use, as indicated at 21. The. jinleading pipe 18 enters. through the central part of the top side, as indicated at 22, and extends downwardly to a point near the bottom of the chamber and below the -liquid-level therein. From the upper Portion of the chamber an eduction-pipe 23 ea'dsjto and is connected with the pressurechamber 14 of the air-pump, hereinbefore referred to.

By means of the hereinbefore-described connections the exhaust-pressure in,- duced through the pipe 23 causes the blast of air. from the sweeper chamber' to flow into the precipitatingrchamber, the air as it es-' capes from the inleading ipe 18 passing up through .the body of liquid 21 and thus being washed .and caused to precipitate the dust --withwhiehit isladen.

It will be obviousfrom the foregoing that the body of liqbuidcontained in the chamber sides of the chamber.

e handle with an extension pipe or hoseecome charged with dust and sludge, so that it is necessary to renew the liquid from time to time, and it is also necessary or desirable to flush out the entire interior of the precipitating-chamber for the reason that the dust tends to adhere to the sides in the form of a sticky shine. In order to provide for the renewal of the li uid and the flushing of the chamber, I provi e an inlet-pipe 24, which desirably enters at one of the angles of the chamber and terminates closely within said angle in a rose 25 or spraying device having diver ent outlets '26 and 27, which respectively ush the contiguous A central outlet 28is designed to spray the entering li uid over the remaining interior surface of t, e chamber. The liquid will, it is to be understood, .be admitted under pressure, and in order that the supply may be controlled and shut off at will I provide a controlling-cock 29 in the inlet-pipe 24. An eduction-lpipe 30 is arranged v to lead out from the cham er at a point near the bottom thereof, as indicated clearly in Fi 3, which eduction-pipe is likewise pro-- vided with the controlling-cock 3 1.

In the use of the swee er it is obvious that more or less dirt and de ris will be dislodged which is too heavy and too large to be drawn off through the exhaust-pipes, but will, nevertheless, be picked up by the incomin blast of air. In order to collect such dirt, l provide in the lower part of the sweeper chamber a horizontal ably extends across t e full width of the chamber from side to side, but is somewhat narrower from front to rear than the interior an 32, which desirof the chamber and is provided with rela-- tively narrow upstanding sides at its front and rear edges, as indicated 'at 33. Between the upturned sides 33 and the roximate walls of the chamber are formed last-passages 34, which passages, in conjunction with the tafiering top of the chamber, serve to deflect t e heavier pieces of dirt and the like inwardly toward the center of the chamber and above the pan 32.

Any suitable mechanism may be employed in supplying the pressure-chamber 14such, for example, as'an ordina airpump, which is shown diagrammatica ly at 35 in Fi 4and in this connection it may be state that while the arran ement shown herein is preferable and produces certain advantages peculiar thereto, yet, nevertheless,

it is not essential that the plenum-pressure pipe and the exhaust-pipebe both connected with a common pressure-chamber or with'a common draft-inducing machine. However,-

as hereinbefore intimated, thearrangement I shown herein, in which a completely-closed circulation is provided for, is most advantageous, for the reason that it prevents the escape of any dust or dirt from thesystem, and for the further reasonthat when a closed circuit apparatus is used it is easier to regu ,draws upwardly the air i 'bris which are too passing On lows:

-flow of air through the eduction side.

late the relation of the plenum-pressure to the exhaust-pressure, so as to insure at all times a tendency to draw externalair into the suction side of the system.

The operation of an apparatus constructed and arranged as descrlbed isprobably entirely" obvious from the foregoing description, but'may be briefly summarized as fol- Assuming, for example, that it is desired to renovate the carpets of a room outlined-in the diagrammatic view Fig. 4 at 36, the air-pump, pressure-chamber, and precipitating orfiltering chamber, together constituting the operating plant, are placed alongside of the house and the pipes passed in through one of the openings and connected with the sweeper within the room; The connection with the sweeper having been made, the pump is started and a powerful circulation of air induced through the sweeper, the blast or air under pressure passing in through the pipe 13 10 escaping from the downwardly-directed nozzle and impinging against the carpet upon whiohthe sweeper rests. At the same time the exhaust action discharged through the nozzle against the carpet, so that the air charged with dust and dirt dislod ed by the blast is drawn upwardly and outthrough the eduction-pipe. Those pieces of dirt and delarge to float with the out going current of air are dislodged and lifted to a certain extent by the force of the jet of air issuing fromthe nozzle, but as soon as they pass out of the immediate influence of the fall backwardly by their weight and lodge within the gathering-pan. The operator passes the device more or the entire area of carpet and meantime regulates the flow of air through the pressure side by means of the valve mechanism 11 so that it does not exceed the exhaust action or outed to readily accomplish operator is enab this b simply kee in watch of the expansiy E g ble bulb 16, whic expands as the plenum side pressure increases and contracts as the vacuum or exhaust pressure is augmented. The exhaust action of the :pump acting through the eduction-pipe 23 of the'precipitatin chamber induces the flow of air inward 'through the pipe .18 and causes the dust-laden blast to rise through the body of liquid contained in the precipitating-chamber, thus drenching'the blast of'air and-freeing it of the dust and dirt, the purified air through the pipe 23 into the cylinder oi the pump and thence again through the system. From time to time as the liquid in the precipitating-chamber becomes muddy to such an extent as to prevent its proper cleansing action the chamber is flushed out in the manner hereinbefore described, and by reason of the peculiar arrangement of the inlet and outlet supply pipes this operation of less slowly over The renewing the supply of liquid may be, if preferred, accomp ished without interrupting the renovating o eration of the apparatusflqq It will be un erstood from the fore oing that there is no tendency of the dustaden air to escape from anfy part of the system; but, on the contrary, i t e exhaust action of roperl the blast-inducing a paratus be controlled there Willa Ways be a slig t ten i description that an apparatus embo ying my invention is capable of effectively cleaning or renovating carpets, cushions, and the like without necessitating the removal of the same from their normal positions, since the sweeper may be conveniently passed over a carpet .or rug or seat-cushion or the-like, it being only necessary that the base side of the sweeper-chamber should fit with approxi mate accuracy against the surface over which it is passin' in order to insure effective 0 eration. t e details of construction may be modified without in any sense departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not, therefore, l mit myself to the details of construction shown. herein, except to the extent that the same are made the subject of specific claims.

I claim as my invention A 1. In a renovating ap aratus, the combination with a sweeper-chamber provided at its base side with an opening, of a blast-nozzle arranged to discharge'within said sweeperchamber and directed toward said opening, a supply-pipe connected with said nozzle, an eduction-pipe connected with the sweeperchamber at a point above the lower sidethereof, means for inducing a simultaneous circulation through said supply and eduction pipes, a manually-operable controlling-valve connected with said supply-pipe, and a visible signal for indicating the re lation of said valve connected in circuit with the supply and exhaust sides of the apparatus, for the purpose set forth.

2. In an airrblast renovating apparatus, the combination with a sweeper-chamber provided at one side with an opening through which the surface to be renovated may be subjected to a blast, a nozzle discharging within said sweeper-chamber and directed against the surface exposed through said opening, a supply-pipe connected with said nozzle, an exhaust-pipe leading from said sweeper-chamber, a precipitatingchamber It will be further obvious that tioncfair throughsaid circuit forzthe pur-.

- tancea into which said exhaustwpipe discharges, .aa'n; elastic bulb interposed insaid exhaust-pipe between said sweeper-chamber. andsaid precipitating-chamber, and meansv connecting said precipitatingvehamberwith said-slipplypipe and formmg a complete circuit, said. means :being adapted to produce azcircu'la posesdescribed. I v

3. An .-ai1"-blast sweeper. comprising a chamber providedat its :base side with an opening a blast-nozz'le' having a .relatively. long an narrow discharge-outlet arranged' to extend transversely of such chamber, a; col-[- 'lecting gan arranged 'horizont-ally at a .dis-

ove the bqtt'omi-ojf the chamber and forming-inconjunctiomwith-the sides of the I latter a partition which partially. divideszthe sweeper-chamber and provides relatively abovethe pan and supply. and exhaust pip narrow transversel -extending air-passagesat each end of said pan, an r outletspasisa? leading'fromsaidsweeperschamber central y es connected with said :nozz'le and outlet-pas sage respectively.

4. An air-blast sweeper comprisingia. chamber provided .atits base side with an opening, a blast-nozzle having .;a relatively longandnarrow discharge outlet arrangudto extend transversely of such chamber, ayco'l lectmg-pan arranged a horizontally at :a disconnected; with said nozzle and "outlet pas chamber being, constructedwardly'and ,to:c0nverge';. to; the discharenema tance above theibotton'ik of-rthe chamber;- and i aforminginieonjunction with ithe sides fo'f-vthe :lattera.=partitionwhich partially-divideswthe sweeper-chamber and provides relatively-.

,narrow'itransversd,rextending .air-passages lpan, ;a'n ioutlet passafigy at each end or emi -leadingfi-omisaidsweeper chambercentra above tli'e: pan-,1 and supply; and 'exhaustgp pes signal for indicating pressure corn risingen: I I

elastic-abulb interposed in .saiI exhaust? ';pipe andada teda'to collapse or exgandasfthe creases or; increases, andariai'lfrpilmpffor-si p- :i' -plymgairgto. saidsupplyplpeandereatmgan stantially-as described. SMIIPH"1E.AIJI2ISON;

Witn'esses': y a is ALBERT He Gas-ms, f I 'Fminmi q oC. Goonml n 

